Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
There are things in the Bible that are subject to interpretation, and concerning those things, we must not speak too dogmatically. I remember many years ago hearing a good friend, peer, and contemporary in the ministry preach that this “first love” is soul winning.
I would not question that winning souls to Jesus Christ was an almost natural outcome of faith among the original believers. Throughout the New Testament, we see this compulsion that once they had met the Saviour, they told others.
But:
- They did not have organized soul-winning days.
- They did not have soul-winning competitions.
- They did not have soul-winning classes or conferences.
One would be hard-pressed to find in the New Testament where Christians are specifically commanded to do it. The Bible focuses much on spiritual growth, love for Christ, and growing in love for our fellow believers.
The Bible seems much more interested in our endeavoring to keep unity within the local church than in our attempting to win people to Christ.
I believe this first love is that affection we had for the Lord, the things of the Lord, and the people of the Lord when we first came to Christ. Experience has demonstrated to me that, as time passes and we witness the realities of day-to-day faith—that this is not a perfect world, and Christians are not perfect either—our love for these things can become somewhat jaded.
- We see the same people regularly and know their faults.
- We hear our preacher weekly, and sometimes go through a few of them.
- We serve in our church, and sometimes grow tired of doing it.
I think our first love is that early affection for the things of God.
I notice that the Lord says He has “somewhat against thee.” I do not want to make light of that. It was serious enough for the Lord to name it. But there is more.
Let us strive to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind—and let this keep us from drifting into lesser sins.
#Revelation2 #FirstLove #LoveTheLord #WalkWithGod #FaithThatStays
When Faith Becomes Routine: Christ’s Warning About First Love
Have you ever found yourself still serving, still attending church, yet sensing that your love for Christ is not what it once was? I’d love to hear your thoughts—what do you believe “first love” means in Revelation 2:4, and have you ever seen this drift in your own walk with God? Leave a comment below.
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